Manitoba task force 'seriously considering' school-based COVID-19 immunizations for young students
The medical lead of Manitoba's Vaccine Implementation Task Force says the province is seriously considering a school-based immunization rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine for young students once Health Canada approves vaccines for children under 12.
For now, only children between the ages of 12 and 17 can roll up their sleeves for a Pfizer shot in Canada.
Dr. Joss Reimer, the medical lead of the vaccine task force, said Pfizer is currently working on studies regarding the vaccinations of children under 12. She said the earliest Health Canada might approve the vaccines for children is estimated to be in October.
As for what Manitoba's vaccine rollout for children under 12 will look like—that is yet to be determined.
Reimer said the task force is still working on its plans, but it is eyeing the possibility of bringing the vaccine to students in schools.
"Because we have done school-based vaccines for many years, that is something we are seriously considering for COVID as well," she said, adding no plans have been finalized.
"We are working with education to assess the feasibility of running COVID immunization clinics as well as our routine school-based immunization clinics in the schools this year, and we are also trying to take into account how any plans might have to be adjusted if we did see a fourth wave, for example."
She said school-based COVID-19 immunization programs would be a good way to reach children who otherwise would not be able to get a vaccine at other immunization sites.
"It is something that not only takes advantage of the fact that children are all in the same location, but also is something that people are familiar with and comfortable with because we have done it for so many years with other vaccines," Reimer said.
She said when it comes to consenting to a vaccine there is no strict age cut-off. However, Reimer said public health tries to ensure the person who is consenting—regardless of their age—understands the risks, benefits, and alternatives to the decision they are making.
"There is very few, if any, at younger ages who do have that capacity, so parental consent becomes more and more of a requirement the younger that we get," Reimer said. "But there is no strict cut-off for this vaccine, nor is there for any other service in health-care, and we plan to follow the same processes that have been in place for decades."
Dr. Brent Roussin, the chief provincial public health officer, said younger children are at a smaller risk of severe outcomes due to COVID-19.
He said given Manitoba's COVID-19 numbers and vaccine rates, the province believes students will be able to return to school this fall.
He said more details about the return to school will be released later this week.
As of Tuesday, 80 per cent of Manitobans age 12 and up have been vaccinated with at least one dose, while 71.4 per cent have received both doses.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
The Indian couple killed in a wrong-way police chase crash on Highway 401 earlier this week has been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.